Anger is mounting among some White House officials as the Iran war enters its second month, according to a Politico report. Discontent is concentrated among younger, more right-wing staffers, an unnamed source said.
“They’re very frustrated,” the source said. “They didn’t love the war to start with, and since it began, the constantly contradictory messaging from the president himself is just brutal for staff to deal with.” The 79-year-old Republican president and senior officials have offered multiple justifications for the war, including an imminent Iranian threat and regime change, while sending mixed signals about its duration and troop deployment.
A White House spokesperson dismissed the report, saying the president is acting on issues central to younger generations. “What matters most to the American people – including young men – is having a Commander-in-Chief who takes decisive action to eliminate threats and keep them safe,” said Davis Ingle.
Polls show a generational divide among Trump voters. Only 49% of male Trump voters under 35 believe the president has a plan in Iran, compared to over 70% of those over 35. Conservative podcaster Jack Posobiec noted a “big age split,” with younger students at Turning Point USA events “just not on board” with the war.
Since the war began on February 28, thousands of targets in Iran have been struck, and Iran has retaliated against several nations. Over 3,300 Iranians and 13 US servicemembers have died. The US has deployed additional troops, with about 3,500 Marines and sailors arriving in the Middle East and plans to send 1,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division.
Polls indicate broad opposition to the conflict: 59% of Americans believe the US made the wrong decision in using military force in Iran, according to a Pew Research Center survey.
